Spotlight on Business 2024

SPOTLIGHT LOCAL BUSINESS The High Country

It’s no secret that the businesses that make up the High Country’s economy are unique. From entrepreneurial craftspeople to arts and entertainment, the eclectic and vibrant blend of local businesses illustrates that there is a little bit of something for everyone in the High

everyone has a story to tell. With a population divided between secondhome-owners, college students, a hardworking business class, and a constant stream of tourism, there is a unique separation between national commerce and the businesses that make up

shape the High Country as a whole.

Area Chambers of Commerce in the

HIGH COUNTRY

BY JAMIE SHELL ASHE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Ashe County, home to both the towns of Jefferson and of West Jefferson, is just about as far as you can go in the High Country before entering Southwestern Virginia. The county is considered, in many respects, a step back in time to the way the Appalachian Mountains used to be. The chamber can direct travelers

File photo

The

through the scenic and sparsely populated area of Christmas tree farms and rugged mountain landscapes, while offering a wide selection of brochures and maps.

Address: 01 N. Jefferson Ave., Suite C, West Jefferson, NC 28694

Phone: (336) 846-9550

Online: www.ashechamber.com

AVERY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Address: 100 W. Main St., Banner Elk, NC t

The Avery County Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center is conveniently located in the Shoppes at Tynecastle at the intersection of N.C. 105 and N.C. 184. The center offers information on lodging, dining, attractions, shopping and other businesses in Avery County.

Address: 4501 Tynecastle Highway, Unit No. 2, Banner Elk, NC 28604

Phone: (828) 898-5605

Online: www.averycounty.com

BANNER ELK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Located in the heart of town, the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce in Avery County promotes the area as a unique place to live in, work and visit. Information on area lodging, dining, shopping and more is available Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and all the time by visiting www.bannerelk.org.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 u

Photo courtesy Avery Chamber of Commerce

Avery County Chamber of Commerce is located in the Shoppes at Tynecastle, at 4501 Tynecastle Hwy # 14 in Banner Elk.

28604

Phone: (828) 898-8395

Online: www.bannerelk.org

BEECH MOUNTAIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Whether you’re looking for a North Carolina mountain vacation full of adventure, or just a few days to relax and breathe the fresh mountain air, Beech Mountain, at an

elevation of 5,506 feet, will give your soul something to smile about. Beech Mountain, which straddles both Avery and Watauga counties, offers plenty of activities and attractions for the whole family to enjoy, but also plenty of peace and quiet for a relaxing and rejuvenating time.

Address: 403-A Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain, NC 28604

Phone: (828) 387-9283

Online: www.beechmountainchamber.com

BLOWING ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Blowing Rock is considered one of the crown jewels of the Blue Ridge. Its chamber of commerce knows this tightknit community as no one else, and its representatives are always willing to share this knowledge with visitors. Aside from general information, lists of camping and fishing sites, and brochures, the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce also has a generous stock of menus from the town’s many eateries.

Address: 132 Park Ave., Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Phone: (828) 295-7851

Online: www.blowingrockchamber.com

BOONE AREA

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce is one of the High Country’s most active, with both a dedicated membership and an overall commitment to the betterment of the area as both a vacation destination and business hub.

Located in the heart of Boone, the chamber is an ideal place to stop for information on area activities, brochures and maps of the community.

Address: 579 Greenway Road Suite 101, Boone, NC 28607

Phone: (828) 264-2225

Online: www.boonechamber.com

Submitted photo

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of its new location with a ribbon cutting event at the new office in March 2023.

File photo

Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce is located in downtown Banner Elk at the intersection of Shawneehaw Ave. and Main Street at 100 Main St W.

“We try to listen to my customers,” Grace says. “It’s not about what we like, but what we hear other people say they like, want and need. If we don’t have it on the showroom, we'll do our best to find it for them.”

Grace Ward, Merle Adams, and two of their employees

OLD BARN WINERY AFamily Dream with 4Generations.

OwnersGregand RobinSexton,along with their threesons, Andrew,Matthew andThomas,who also ownand operate Frosty’s Choose &Cut andSexton Farms, opened thedoors toOld Barn Winery July of 2022 and have hadasteadyflow of visitors comingbyto sample finewineevery since.

“TheOld Barn Winery is afamilydream: creating avineyardand winery in theBlue RidgeMountains of NorthCarolina. Our farmingroots runfourgenerations deep in these beautifulmountains andwealwaysenvisioned ourChristmas trees andvines growingtogether in perfect harmony. Ever ybottle is filled with the same love,passionand commitmentour family has poured into ourfarms since 1960” said theSextons. Visitors at theOld Barn Winery aretypically treatedtolivemusic andfood trucks on theweekends,along with lots of great conversationswithfriends,familyand other visitors that want to enjoyanice glassofwine. OldBarnWiner yoffers awidevarietyofwhite

wines, redwines androséwines.

As themonthsget closer to Christmas time, you’ ll starttosee trucks with trees in theback andplentyofminivanswithtrees strapped to the top. The Sextonshavebeengrowing Christmas treessince 1960 when ByronSexton plantedthe first tree seedlings on about80acres of land. Sincethen, Sexton Farmshas expanded to include Frosty’s Choose &Cut onB eaverCreek School Road in West Jefferson whereGregalong with hissonsAndrew, Matthewand Thomas usher in afourthgeneration of family Christmas tree farmersinthe High Countr y.

Much like ever yother Christmas tree farm in thearea, theSextonsspecializeinFraserfir trees, aspecies that is native to theareaand excel at growingat higherelevationsmorethan3,000

feet anduptoashighas6,000 feet. Accordingto theNorth CarolinaChristmas Tree Association, thetree’sresilience,needleretention,form, dark blue-green color, pleasant scentand outstanding shipping characteristics has ledtothe Fraser Fir to become oneofthe most popularChristmas tree speciesinthe United States.

GrowingChristmas treesisn’t nearly as easy as it sounds.Ittakes alot more than just putting seedsinthe ground andexpecting acompleted productina short period of time. Producinga Christmas tree is an investment,withthe average tree requiringfrom 7to10years of growth in order to produce atreethatissix to seven feet tall.

Greg and Robin Sexton arepictured herewith their sons Andrew,Thomasand Mat thew.

The golden boys whoinspired our newlabelart ... father and son, Fisher and Holler.Weare proudly dog friendly.

The Old BarnWiner yislocatedat2152 Beaver Creek School Road in West Jefferson offering live musicand other events.

Established as asmall owner-run businessin1998, Rock Dimensions has providedclimbing instructionand outdoor experiences forpeopleofall ages formore than 20 years. Visitors to theHighCountry canexplore the unique challengesofrockclimbing with certifiedguides whohaveapassion forclimbing and instructing. Tripsare private; just call in advancetoschedule. Allequipmentisprovidedand included in thetripcost. Beginner friendlytrips as well as more advanced guidingand instruction. OwnerRyanB easley is an instructor trainerwiththe Professional Climbing InstructorsAssociation (PCIA).

Rock Dimensions has alonghistory of workingwithScouts, providing opportunities to earn the BSA Climbing MeritBadge since it wasfirst created, alongwithsimilaradventure badges/patches forother Scoutgroups. Guided caving trips areineastern Tennessee. The highropes/challenge course is in BlowingRock. The outdoor climbing tower and climbing gear shop areright in downtown Booneatthe base of operationsfor Rock Dimensions

UN WOUND YARN’S CREATI VE COMMUNIT Y

Welcome to Unwound, wherecommunity and creativity come together.Asa female,seniorownedyarnshop, we prioritize servingour customers with warmth andcare. Meet our adorable“Welcome Weenies,”Lizabethand Navi,who love to greet visitors with cuddles.

At Unwound, we’remorethanjusta shop -we’re aplace to connect, laugh, andlearn. Exploreour unique yarn selection,including privatelabel yarn andlocallysourced alpaca roving,perfect forall your crafting needs.

Can’tmakeittoour cozy corner in person?Shoponlinefor convenience anddiscoverthe same qualityproducts andsupportive community from home. Join us at Unwoundand let your creativity flourish.Visit us todayand experience thejoy of crafting in a welcomingenvironment.

CLIMB THE TOWER!

“The

OwnersRyanand Jenny

Blue Rid ge Propane

Sinceit’sopeningin1992, Blue Ridge Propanehas been atrusted propane provider forthe people of Aver yC ounty, always offer ingprofessionalc ustomer service.Founder,JackHoward, movedto theare aafterhavinglifelongexp erience in thepropane industry,fi llinga need for customersint he lo calcommunity. Blue RidgePropane pr ides itself on being theonlylocallyowned andoperate dFULL SERVICEpropane companyofits kind in Aver yC ounty, stillowned andoperatedby theHowardFamily. Now, thereisover100 ye arscombinedexp er ience with theirf ully trainedstaff. The businessstarted in the town of Ne wlandand quicklyexp andedto theirc ur rent lo cation at 14 Turbyfill Road, with plansfor additional expansionint he ne ar future.

After 32 ye arsinbusiness, Blue Ridge Propaneprimarily services theAvery County area in Nort hC arolinaaswell as portions of Carter County in Eastern Tennessee. The pr imar yfoc us is propane delivery to notonlyresidential customers, buta ls ofor commercial,indust rial and agricultura lapplications.They provide full service beginningatstepone of sett inga propane tank,r unninglines forappliances, then also fillingt he tank.Thecompany also

provides service forand inst allationsof: waterheaters (standardt an kand tank less), vented andunventedroomheaters,firelogs, ranges, co oktops, dr yers andgenerators.All delivery dr iversand service techniciansare trainedand licensed, re adytoprovide safe, efficientprop anes er vice to all customers.

Receiving theaccolade of “BESTOFTHE BEST ”for Aver yC ountyfor thepasts everal ye ars, votedbylocal residents provest he business’ solidar ityint he community.

Blue RidgePropane is op en Monday –Friday, 7:30 am-4:00 pm andcan be reachedat828-733-3603 or theirwebsite ww w.bluer idgepropanenc.net.

Jadeisthe JewelofL&N. Thefriendly face you’re accustomed to seeing when youstepintothe shop. Jadepridesherself in being an advocate forthe automotiveconsumer,translating complextechnical information from the technicians into digestible data youcan usetomakeinformed decisions about your automobile

Scot Marshallis aNav yVet and has been professionally engaged in commercial par ts since2013.Scot’sfocus is ensuring you get the highest quality components,asquick ly as possible

As aQualit yControl Technician, George meticulouslyinspec ts andevaluatesproductsatour automobileafter repair.With a meticulous eyefor detail and acommitmenttoupholding thehighest standards, George playsapivotal role in ensuring that produc ts meet stringentquality criteriabeforethey leavethe facility.

AUDIO ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE

When thinking about high-end audio speaker systems, people usually envision expensive, large surround sound systems consisting of multiple components. While these systems are indeed effective, they may not be suitable for smaller applications, such as dormitories, apartments, or computer systems (or budgets).

After ten years of intensive research and development, Boone-based Fyssion Audio Company has created the INIO speaker system The INIO, which is short for IN-timate audIO, takes Fyssion’s patented speaker design and condenses it into a pair of speakers using 3-inch drivers. They were created to assist the hearing impaired to understand and enjoy TV without hearing aids, and without running others out of the room with max volume on the TV. They also are marvelous computer speakers, and fill up small living spaces with superior sound reproduction and clarity. They sound so good we earned the trademark of “Organic Audio.”

Fort ner InsuranceAgency

Through avarietyoftop-ratedinsurance carriers, FortnerInsurance Agency provides solutions forall your Auto,Home, Business, Life,Healthand Long-Term Care insuranceneeds. With offices in Banner Elk,Newland,Spruce Pine and Burnsville, FortnerInsurance Agency is aproudmemberofthe Keystone Insurer’s Group andhas served theHighCountry since 1919.

Our Mission

To profitably market highquality,competitively pricedinsurance products to ourclientsand to provide excellentand consistent customer service,focusingon integrityand values in ourrelationships with thecompanies andcommunities we serve.

Established in 1919, FortnerInsurance Agency brings to ever ynew challenge an ever-expandingbaseofexperience,rootedina long history of excellence and stability. Fortnerisrecognizedand respectedbyinsurancecompanies andinsureds alikefor itsdedicationtoconsistentoutstanding service.Fortner Insurance is an IndependentInsurance Agency,100% locallyowned.IsaffiliatedasaTrusted Choice Agent. We servethe insuranceneedsofindividuals,families, andbusinesses, just like you! We take pride in gettingthe rightinsurance protection foryour needs, superior claimser vice andeaseofdoing business.

Today, we serveawide range of insuranceclientsand insurancecompanies. Whatever your insuranceneeds, Fortnerstands flexibleenoughtodeviseplans to meet your requirements -and substantialenoughtomakethemwork- through extensive service,responsiveproducts, andconsistently soundleadership.

Hear what you’ve been missing

Big sound, sm all speakers.

Enha nce your ho me the ater

ORGANIC AUDIO

The Audio Gospel ([gos-puhl]: “Almost too good to be true”)

The INIO Speaker System

About New River Building Supply &Lumber Company

The BoonelocationofNew RiverBuildingSupply &LumberC ompany hasbeenser ving theHighC ountry of NorthCarolinasince 1973. In thespringof2003, we addedasecondlocationinBannerElk to better serve ourcustomers in that growingregion. We strive to give all ourcustomers that small-townfeeland greatlocal service they have come to expect. We remain competitiveagainst big-box stores notonlywithgreat ever yday prices but also with consistent promotions on ourmostpopular items! Both locationshaveknowledgeable staff whowelcome your questionsregardingany buildingsupply need.Yourhomeisprobably thegreatest investment you’ ll ever make,and thematerials youuse in buildingand maintainingitare of vitalimportance. NewRiver BuildingSupply also offersahugeselection of hand andpower toolsatbothlocations to help make your projecteasier.Weare also an authorized dealer of AndersenWindows andDoors.Inaddition to providingalargeselection of thebestnames in thebuildingsupply industry,wealsohaveatimber&log divisionwhere we canassistyou in planningand buildingthe log home of your dreams.You canbring your blueprintsorevenproposedbuildingplans in andlet ourtrained professionalsadviseyou on thebestand most suitablematerials available. Ourcustomers’needsare ourtop priority.You canmakeone stop andfind it all at NewRiver BuildingSupply!C omesee us soon-we’re readytoser ve you!

THE FUTURE IS ON®

Our history of ingenuity: After immigrating from Russia to theUnited States, Isidor Leviton opened asmall tinsmithing business in 1906, whereheproducedmantle tipsused forgas lighting. With the rise of Edison’slight bulb, Leviton shifted to manufacturea single electrical product: the pull-chain lampholder.

From thatone electrical device, Leviton has pavedthe wayfor generations of peoplearound theworld to live and work with greaterease and security.

Continued ingenuity: We continue to meetcustomers’ challenges in unique, creativeways with DecoraSmart™wireless lighting controls in Wi-Fi, Z-Wave,HomeKit, and USB-C Charger Devices. Meeting currentand futureneeds, Leviton nowoffers antimicrobial switches and wall platesfor residential and business. Products aredesigned and manufactured to improve electrical safety including SmartlockProOutlet Branch Circuit Interrupter(AFCI) receptacles, SmartlockProSelf-Test GFCIs, and Tamper-Resistant Receptacles.

Everyday,Leviton is engineering possibilities thatmakethe futurehappen, meeting the needs of today’sresidential, commercial, and industrial customersglobally.Fromelectrical, to lighting,todatanetworks,and energy management, Leviton develops thoughtful solutions thathelp makeits customers’ lives easier,safer,moreefficient, and moreproductive– driven by itscommitmenttoits customers, the ingenuity of its employees, and the safety and quality of itsproducts and solutions.

At Leviton, we knowdiversity is the keytoreal innovation. It goes beyond gender,ethnicity, or hiring practice and actively workstomakesurepeoplefroma variety of backgrounds and experiences areheard. We believe atruly diversecompanyis one whereeach employeeis recognized forcontributingsomething different, and we arecommitted to makingthathappen in acollaborativeenvironment. 618

THE FUTURE IS ON®

Amer ican EmergencyVehicles –A TopEmployerinA she Count y

AmericanEmergency Vehicles (AEV),one of thenation’stop ambulance manufacturers,has been basedright here,inJefferson, North Carolina, since 1991. “TheStrength of AEVhas always been grounded in ourpeople,”saidRandy Hanson, vice presidentand generalmanager of AEV. “We’re proud to have an employee base that spans generations –talented, tenuredemployees whohaveworkedherefor decades workingalongside folkswho have just beguntheir careersand selected AEVtodoso!”AEV employsover 400 people,and most of them live in Ashe County,but some people even commutefrom surrounding states to work at AEV. “Weare continuingtobuild ourculture and reputationbecause we aspire to be an employer of choice,” added Hanson.“So we offer competitive compensation packages andbenefits that startday one, work-lifebalance, andarespectfuland welcoming

environment.B eyondthat, thereisa deep senseofpride here from thefact that we servefirst responders.”

AEVhas producedover30,000 ambulances, since they began operationsinthe early90’s. They buildavarietyofambulancetypes that meet theneedsofemergency care providersacrossthe globe, whetherthatser vice is being providedbylocal firedepartments, hospitals, or commercial providers. The vehicles arebuilt on Ford,Ram, Chevrolet, Mercedes, International andFreightliner chassisand customizedtomeetthe specific needs of each customer. AEVwas named “B estofthe Best Manufacturers in Ashe County”lastyearand formany yearsbeforethatinanannualsur vey by theAshePostand Times.

“Demandfor AEVambulances continues to be strong, becauseEMS providersknowthatAEV has along tradition ofbuildingambulances with American craftsmanship and

value,”saidRandy Barr, directorofsales, AEV. “Our biggestchallenge is in keepingupwith thedemand,”continued Barr,“so we areactively partnering with area community colleges, such as Wilkes Community College, as well as government organizations to placejob seekersin some of our open roles.”

AEValsoparticipatesin career days at area high schoolsand even middle schools, as away to help introduce youngpeople to AEVand themany careerspaths that they can pursue with an established manufacturer.

In 2021, AEVmoved alltheir production into their currentfacility at 101 AEVLane(theformerGates Rubber Company).AEV facilities span over 300,000 square feet on a beautiful35-acrecampus“We areall settledinand continuingto upgrade ourfacilities to improveoperations andto provide agreat environment forour valued employees,”said Jake Miller,ProductionManager. “Our team is continuallylooking foropportunities to streamline andimprove efficiency so we can deliverthese lifesavingvehicles to

ourcustomers as quicklyaspossible. However, ournumberone priority is safety,and we arecontinually providingtrainingto ourteamto keep that topofmind.”

In fact,AEV is oneofonlyafew in thestate that is certifiedthrough theNorth Carolina Department of Labor’sStarProgram.The programisdesignedtorecognize employersand employeeswho have implementedeffective safety and health management systems and maintain injury andillness ratesthat meetthe criteria forparticipation. Formoreinformation aboutAEV, visitwww.aev.com.